Apparatus for blanketing comestibles with inert gas



Oct'. 4, 19387. s, A HURST i l V2,131,876

l APPARATUS FOR BLANKETING vCOMES'IIBLESYWITH INERT GAS Filed July 22, 193e Patented Qct. 4, 1938 v yPATENTv ciu-loriV APPARATUS FOR 'BLANKETING COMES- TIBLES WITH INERT GAS 'Samuel A. Hurst, Leonia', N. J., assignor to Lever Brothers Gompany, a corporationot Maine Application July 22, 1936, Serial No.` 91,920 ll Claims. 226-88) The present invention relates to an apparatus for blanketing a product in a container with inert `'gas for the purpose of preservation and protection. The valueof inert gas as an agent for the provention of vdeteriorationof comestibles has long been recognized, and many devices have been used for blanketing comestibles in an atmosphere ofinert gas. `There are generally two types of such devices, namely, the vacuum type and the diffusion type.

The vacuum type of inert gas injecting device consists 'usually of a chamber or bell which ilts over or around a container in gas-tight relation and is alternately connected with a vacuum creating means for withdrawing air from the container, and a source of inert gas, which replaces the air withdrawn from the container.

-The diffusion type of gas-injecting device consists generally o1?` a chamber which is normally lled with an inert gas such as nitrogen orcarbon dioxide. Whena container is placed in the chamber or passed therethrough, the air is replaced by the inert gas because of the difference in their weights. The air, being lighter, diffuses to the top of the chamber, and the inert gas diffuses into the container. A

Each of the preceding types of devices is subject to certain inherent disadvantages from a practical commercial point of view.

' The vacuum type of gasifying device is ex- Jpensive to construct and also expensive to operate. The necessity for drawing'a high vacuum i on thecontainerto provide rapid operation of the device, results inthe provision of a costly vacuum pump, and considerable expense in operating the same. Furthermore, proper sequential operation ofthe vacuumizing means and the gasinjecting means necessitates the provision of 'a 4.0 complicatedandfcostly manifold for controlling 'the alternate vacuumizing and gas-injecting operation. f

The diilusion type ofgasiiying device is less expensive toV construct and operate. but has a serious disadvantage of a low operating capacity. The, containersgmust remainin the 'diffusion chamber fonanextendedperlod of time, and

unless a chamber of` great size` is u sed, only a i smalinumber of containers can be treated in an operating period..

The presentfinvention is a gasifying device of,

simple construction, which ,may be veconomically operated, and hasa speedof operation suitable for large scale handling oflled containers. i

ss Anobjeot of the".'invinition isto overcon'iethe necessity for use of vacumiging means toinsure proper displacement of the air in a container.

A further object of the invention is to overcome the low operating capacity inherent inI devices which are not equipped with vacuumizlng 5 means. y 4

A still further object of theinventlon is to provide a construction which has a .minimum of movable wearing parts. and yet one whichwill continuously and rapidly handle a succession of l0 lillled containers.

the containers from a container lling device to a l5 tlnal-sealing device.A During the travel of the containers through the gasifying device, .the air -is eifectually displaced through the agency of a stream oi' inert gas directed across and into v-the top of the container. By blowing the gas across 20 and `into the top of the container, the air is positively displacedand the gas diffuses into and replaces the air in the container.

' More specically, my invention includes a rotary gas injecting headV portion having container- 25 receiving notches in its periphery, and gas ports disposed along a portion. of the periphery of the notches, so that the inert gasis directed from one side of the container to the other, thus blowl ing away the air that is normally in the container. 3o In addition, the gas injectingv head is provided l with means for carrying the container lids in alignment withA but spaced from the containers,

' in order to provide a restricted spaceintowhich the inert gas is blown. Withl this construction -35 the volume of inert gas required to displace the airis reduced greatly and results in economical v engagement with the rotary head and is capable of adjustment to compensate i'or wear. The manifold may be readily replaced when it becomes too badly worn to maintain a gas-sealing relation 4,5

`with the head. If the device becomes worn it is necessary to replace only one simple and relativelyA inexpensive element -of my improved manifold construction. Thus I overcome the necessity oi" replacing a complicated,lcostly manifold such 'as 50 is found in the more complicatedmechanisms of the vacuumizing type.

.For a better Vunderstanding` 0f my inventive construction, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my gasifying device, partly broken away; Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of one` of the container-receiving portions of my gasifying device;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, partly broken away; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a typical installation including my gasifying device.

Illustrative of my invention, Figurel discloses a typical embodiment of my gas injecting means consisting of a fixed shaft I0, mounted in a basemember (not shown). and having a sleeve I2 rotatably mounted thereon. Sleeve I2 is driven by any desired means to impart rotation to a container support I4, a container locating guide I6 and a gas-injecting head I8, each of these members being xedly attached to sleeve I2. The

guide I6 and gas-injecting head I8 are each provided with a series of peripheral recesses or can pockets 20 and 22, respectively, which receive containers A and hold them in proper position on the container support I4. 1

The recesses 22 of the gas-injecting head I8 are notched to receive apertured arcuate members 23 which are provided with inclined bores. The inclined bores form in conjunction with inclined grooves in the gas injecting head I8 a series of downwardly inclined gas-injecting ports 24 through which the gas may be blown into the containers A, as shown in Figure 3. If desired, the gas-injecting ports may take the form of a continuous narrow slot extending around a portion of the periphery of the recesses 22. Connecting the inner ends of ports 24 in each recess 22 is an arcuate conduit 26 which communicates through a passageway 28 and a vertical bore 30 with an annular groove 32 in the upper surface of gas-injector head I8. Resting in and slidable with respect to the groove 32 as the head I8 is rotated, is an arcuate channel member 34 carried by a manifold plate 38 fixed to vertical shaft l0.

The channel member 34 is provided with closedends 38 forming a gas-tight seal around the channel 40, and a plurality of threaded bores 42 into which are threaded a corresponding number of tubular members 44 communicating with chan- `nel 48. Flexible couplings 48 connect the tubes 44 to individually adjustable valves 48 mounted on a common gassupplying pipe 58. The amount of gas supplied to channel 48 may be closely regulated and a constant pressure maintained throughout the extent of the channel 48 by means of the individually regulated valves 48. 'I'he main gas supply pipe 50 is connected to a source of inert gas which may be provided with the usual filters and main control valve (not shown).

In order to maintain the channel member 34 in gas-tight relation to the gas-injector head I8, the xed plate 38 is provided with a plurality of ,brackets 52 having threaded bores 54 in `which are mounted externally threaded hollow studs 53.

The tubes 44 pass loosely through the studs 58 and the channel member 34 is forced downwardly into the groove 32 by springs 58 surrounding the tubes 44 and bearing against studs 58 and channel member 34. Adjustment of studs 56 varies the pressure with which channel member 34 is forced in groove 32.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the channel member 34 extends throughout approximately 180 of the extent of the plate 36, and gas is injected into low a point as possible. the gas injecting head I8 is also utilized to carry the lids B for the containers A in closely spaced relationship to the open tops of ycontainers A,thereby producing restricted spaces into which the inert gas is injected. At the outer edge of head I8 adjacent the container pockets 22, (Figs. 1 to 3) are oppositely disposed under-cut lugs which receive the lids B irom y any desirable type of lid hopper and carry the lids B in alignment with the containers A to the can sealing machine', where they are finally clinched tothe containers.

Dlagrammatically shown in Figure 4 is a typical layout-utilizing my gas injecting means. The containers A are fed into a container filling device C where the containers are filled, and then are passed over rotary conveyors D to my gas injector. The containers A are fed into the recesses 22 of the gas-injector head I8 and the lids B are fed from hopper E under the lugs 80, thereby aligning the containers and the lids. As the containers A are advanced around the gas injector, the bores 30 communicate with channel member 34 and gas is blown through ports 24 across the open tops of the containers, thus displacing the air. The inert gas is injected into successive cans as they travel to the sealing machine F where the bores 30 move out of communication with the channel member 34 just prior to transfer of the lids B and the containers A to the sealing machine where the lids are clinched to the containers.

It will be understood that the device disclosed is illustrative only and that there can be many variations in the construction thereof, all falling within the scope of the invention as deilned in the appended claims.

1. In a device for injecting inert gas into containers, a rotatable container support, rotatable means for maintaining containers in position on said support, means rotatable with the position maintaining means for supporting container lids in alignment with but spaced from the tops of the containers, and a device carried bythe position maintaining means for injecting inert gas from one side only into the space between the top of the container and the lid.

2. In a device for injecting inert gas into containers, movable means for supporting a series of containers, means movable with the supporting means for maintaining the position of the containers on Athe latter, and a device carried by the positioning means adjacent one portion only, of the periphery of a container for injecting inert gas into and across the top of the container.

3. In a device for injecting inert gas into containers, movable means for supporting a series of containers', means movable with, the supporting means for maintaining the position of the containers on the latter, means carried by the positioning means for supporting container lids in alignment .with but spaced from the tops of the containers, and a device carried by the positioning means adjacent one portion only, of the periphery of a container for injecting inert gas between a lid and the top of the container.

4. In a device for injecting inert gas into containers, rotatable means for supporting a series of containers, rotatable means having a plurality of peripheral recesses for receiving containers and positioning them on the supporting means,

Aand mechanisms extending around the recesses adjacent the tops of the containers for directin tainers, rotatable means for supporting a series of containers, rotatable means having a plurality of peripheral recesses for receiving and positioning containers on the supporting means, means i on the positioning means for supporting container lids in spaced vertical alignment with the containers, and mechanisms extending 'around said recesses between the tops'of the containers and the lids for directing gas across the tops of the containers. l

6.' In a device for injecting inert gas into containers, rotatable means for supporting containers, coaxial rotatable means having a series of peripheral recesses therein for receiving and positioning containers on said support, means `for rotating said rotatable means, mechanisms in.

said recesses for injecting gas into the containers and a fixed manifold member having gas conduits communicating with said mechanisms during a portion of the rotating movement of said positioning means. e

7. In a device for injecting inert gas into containers, Aa base, a container-support rotatably mounted on said base, a coaxial member having a plurality of container-positioning recesses in its periphery rotatably mounted on the base, mechanisms in the periphery of said recesses for injecting gas into said containers, a member fixed to the base adjacent the recessed member, said fixed member lbeing provided with a channel member resiliently urged into contact with said recessed member, gas supplying means communicating with said channel member, and conduits in said recessed member communicating said channel member with the gas-injecting mechanisms.

8. In a device for injecting inert gas into 'containers, a rotatable container support, a coaxial rotatable member having container-positioning member, a movable arcuate channel member in` the fixed member, gas supplying means communieating with said channel member, conduits in said recessed member communicating with said gasinjecting devices and resilient means urging the channel member into engagement with the conduits whereby gas may be successively supplied to said gas-injecting devices. y

9. In a gas-injecting device having a mechanism for injecting gas into a container, the combination of a disk member having an arcuate slot therein, an arcuate channel member in the slot, gas supplying means communicating with the channel, a rotatable disk engaging the channel member` and having conduits communicating with the channel and the'gas-injecting mechanism, and resilient means urging the channel member into engagement with the rotatable disk.

l0. In a device for injecting gas into containers, the combination of a rotatable support for receiving containers, a coaxial rotatable member having recesses for receiving the open ends of containers, 'mechanisms for injecting gas into containers communicating with and disposed around a portion only of the recesses, a stationary member, an arcuate channel membermount- 11. In a device for injecting gas into contain-v ers the combination of a rotatable support for receiving containers, a coaxial rotatable member having recesses for receiving the open `ends of the containers, mechanisms 'for injecting gas into the containers communicatingV with the recesses and a surface of the rotatable member and disposed around a portion of the'recesses only, a stationary member,a member having a channel supported on the stationary member, means urging the channel member into engagement with the surface of the recessed member with the channel communicating with some but not all of the said mechanisms, and means for supplying gasto the channel.

i l SAMUEL A. HURs'r. 

